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The World of Protozoa, Rotifera, Nematoda and Oligochaeta

Ref ID : 7819

W.R. Arnold, R.L. Diamond, and D.S. Smith; Acute and Chronic Toxicity of Copper to the Euryhaline Rotifer, Brachionus plicatilis ("L" Strain). Arch.Environ.Contam.Toxicol. 60:250-260, 2011

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This article presents data from original research, intended for the use in the development of copper (Cu) criteria for the protection of estuarine and marine organisms and their uses in the United States. Two 48-hr static-acute toxicity tests - one with and one without added food - and a 96-hr static multigeneration life-cycle test (P1-F2 generations) were performed concurrently using the euryhaline rotifer Brachionus plicatilis ("L" strain) to develope a Cu acute-to-chronic ratio (ACR) for this species. Tests were performed at 15 g/L salinity, at 25 degrees C, and the exposure concentrations of dissolved Cu were verified. Supplemental chemical analyses were performed and reported for the development of a Cu-saltwater biotic ligand model (BLM). Supplemental analyses included alkalinity, calcium, chloride, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), hardness, magnesium, potassium, sodium, and temperature. The acute toxicity test measurement end points were the dissolved Cu median lethal concentration (LC50) values based on rotifer survival. The chronic measurement end points were the dissolved Cu no-observed-effect concentration (NOEC), lowest-observed-effect concentration (LOEC), EC25, EC20, and EC10 based on the intrinsic rate of rotifer population increase (r). The 48-hr LC50(Fed), 48-hr LC50(Unfed), 96-hr NOEC, 96-hr LOEC, EC25, EC20, and EC10 were 20.8, 13.4, 6.1, 10.3, 11.7, 10.9, and 8.8 µgCu/L, respectively. The ACRs were calculated as ratios of each 48-hr LC50 value [(fed ad unfed) and each of the 96-hr chronic values (ChV; geometric mean of NOEC and LOEC)], EC10, EC20, and EC25. The ACRs ranged from 1.15 to 2.63.